In Memory of Steve Jobs

One year ago this week, our world lost one of the most brilliant and innovative minds of modern times. Steve Jobs (Feb. 24, 1955-Oct. 5, 2011) left behind a legacy of technology and marketing prowess that is unparalleled, and just might be for quite a while.

No matter if you’re a PC or a Mac, Steve Jobs’ effect has surely touched your life, whether it’s the iPhone in your pocket, the iTunes on your desktop or the DVD copy of “Toy Story” on your shelf. From his early days in a garage with Steve Wozniak to his resignation as Apple’s CEO on August 24, 2011, Jobs was a visionary whose products literally changed the world.

Not only did he help us get rid of floppy discs, Steve revolutionized computer design (remember how ugly they used to be?), and he was responsible for creating a device so universally popular that most people refer to any Mp3 player, no matter the brand, as an iPod.

Thanks, Steve. Your passion and perseverance continue to be an inspiration to us all.

With a Little Bit of Effort, We Can All Get Along

You’ve seen the commercials. The young, hip guy says, “I’m a Mac,” then the other, not as hip, not as young guy says, “I’m a PC.” It’s a great example of the ongoing battle that’s ruled the computer world for decades, but did you know that Microsoft (creators of the PC) actually invested in Apple Computers one time? It’s true.

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates got together via satellite to announce the investment at the Macworld Expo on August 6, 1997. The money was used to develop and ship Mac versions of Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer and other development tools.

Another interesting corporate story also happened this week, way back in 1981, when Coca-Cola pledged to invest $34 million dollars into black-owned businesses, and promised to put an African-American on its board of directors, on August 10. Coca-Cola president, Donald Keough and Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and head of People United to Save Humanity (PUSH), made the announcement, which ended the organization’s 1-month nationwide call to boycott Coke products.

So what is the moral of our two corporate stories? Apparently, with a little bit of effort, we can all get along – at least for a little while.